Campaigning for a unique active travel network in Northern Ireland

Election Cycle

Northern Ireland is in a busy period of elections. Over the next 18 months we will all participate in:

(UK) General Election [7 May 2015]

NI Assembly Election [2016]

To differing degrees, each election will influence the future direction of cycling policy in Northern Ireland. How political parties and candidates value cycling may not dictate the way that you vote, but each election is your chance to talk directly to your politicians. Conveying how important safe roads and improved cycling facilities are to you, and your family and friends, can make a real difference when the big future priorities are set.

This page is designed to allow you to quickly assess the importance local political parties place on enabling an environment to foster a strong “everyday cycling” culture. It will be updated through the next 18 months to reflect new policies and commitments as they are released.

The list covers political parties (in alphabetical order) with representation in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK Parliament, looking at:

manifestos from the last Assembly election

new policies published since 2011

specific cycling targets

any track record

current work

Other political parties and many independent candidates will also be standing in these elections.

Alliance

MLAs: 8 (108) MPs: 1 (18)

Current Assembly term manifesto [Full text (PDF)]:
[Obesity] Environments which promote a physically active lifestyle and healthy diet should be created across the education, employment and transport sectors. For example, safe environments for cyclists and pedestrians should be promoted.

Latest cycling policy:
[2014 Local Government Manifesto (PDF)][Provide sustainable transport options] The Northern Ireland Executive is in charge of transport policy, but the new district Councils can play an important role in making sure that sustainable transport options (such as walking and cycling) are promoted. They can also work with the NI Executive and Translink to ensure that public transport serves the needs of their community.

Alliance believes that green transport options should be pursued as a priority alongside other modes of transport. That is why we will support Councils adopting sustainable travel plans that make it easier for cyclists and walkers to get about town and will include advance planning about new bus routes. We will especially promote safe cycle routes and storage and suitable pavements and road crossings to encourage walking.

In your local Council, we will make sure that all transport options, not just cars, are viable.

Green Party

MLAs: 1 (108) MPs: 0 (18)

Current Assembly term manifesto [Full text (PDF)]:[Transport] Ensure most children are able to walk or cycle to school and support employers who promote cycling to work. Giving the highest priority to safe routes to so that most children are able to walk or cycle to school. Introducing a 20mph speed limit throughout built up areas, including villages. Encouraging all other initiatives to incentivise a change of travel mode to cycling – including alterations to allowances paid by employers to their employees for their necessary travel and government tax relief for work related cycling on a scale no less generous than car allowances.

[Culture, Arts and Leisure] Empowering local authorities to give grants to small and medium sized tourism enterprises to improve significantly their facilities for cyclists or links with public transport provision.

Latest cycling policy:
[2014 European Manifesto (PDF)][Green Transport] We need to shift to more sustainable and less environmentally-damaging modes like waterways, cycling, public-collective transport and rail.

[2014 Local Government Manifesto (PDF)]
[Caring for our environment] Through community planning, we will work to ensure that all schools have sustainable School Travel Plans. All schools should have adequate, secure cycle storage, and provide safe and responsible cycling education to all students.

We will campaign for a Walking and Mobility Officer at Council level to facilitate alternatives to car-use and implement measures to make streets more attractive and easier to use for pedestrians and cyclists.

We will plan for more segregated cycle routes and work to ensure they are properly maintained and policed, in particular making road surfaces safe, providing clear signposting, and removing cars parked across cycle gaps and in cycle and bus lanes.

Reduces traffic congestion. Reduces the number of sick days employees take.

And calls upon the Minister for Regional Development to:

Bring forward plans to increase investment in cycling from the current amount of approximately 58p per person each year in the North to at least £10 per head of population.

Direct the new Cycling Unit to consider the case studies of Amsterdam and Copenhagen in regard to introducing separate, safe bicycle infrastructure.

Ensure cyclists are accommodated on Translink bus and rail services at all times and introduce adequate bicycle storage and racks on buses.

Ensure that cycle lanes are kept clear and enforced. Introduce filter traffic lights and ‘bus stop islands’ for cyclists in towns and cities.

[2014 Ard Fheis] Motion 69 .. recognises the efforts of those involved in road safety campaigns in both rural and urban communities and supports the ‘20’s Plenty’ campaign and the need for 20mph to be the default speed limit in built-up areas.

Explicit targets for cycling:
Raise cycling budget to £10 per head of population.

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)

MLAs: 14 (108) MPs: 3 (18)

Current Assembly term manifesto [Full text (PDF)]:
[Encouraging active transport] It is widely accepted that reducing the speed from 30 mph to 20 mph on urban residential streets through creative urban planning has been proven to increase the number of cyclists on the roads. The SDLP therefore brought draft legislation to the Assembly which would reduce speed limits in urban areas. By making our streets a safer place for all, we will increase uptake of active transport, namely cycling and walking. We initiated the draft legislation and also demanded a reversal on cuts to the active transport budget following the startling 98% cut in the Budget.

In the next mandate, we will build on our work to date by expanding and promoting the ‘bike to work’ scheme to encourage employees to cycle to work if and where possible, incentivising the scheme by enabling employees to purchase bikes tax-free. In addition, we will establish a bike scheme in Belfast, whereby bikes are available for short-term public hire across the city, given the success of a similar scheme in Dublin, as well as evidenced in many cities across Europe. Looking beyond our main cities, we support the expansion of the cycle network across the North and an increase in the number of dedicated cycle routes.

Latest cycling policy:
N/A

Explicit targets for cycling:
Default 20mph in built-up areas.

Track record:
Pat Ramsey MLA brought the Cyclists (Protective Headgear) Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 2010-11 session, in an attempt to make the use of helmets while cycling compulsory in Northern Ireland. It failed to pass into law.

Conall McDevitt [former MLA] brought the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Bill to the Assembly, which has subsequently been taken on by Pat Ramsey MLA (see Current work of note).

Share:

Like this:

4 thoughts on “Election Cycle”

In the European Parliament Diane Dodds of the DUP, voted with UKIP (and BNP) against tighter regulation of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), restricting their size, improving design and giving the driver a better view of pedestrians and cyclists near the vehicle. The UKIP have a blanket policy opposing any EU regulation impacting on the UK, even if the regulations are clearly beneficial to UK citizens. Diane Dodds has not stated why she is opposed to making HGV safer for pedestrians and cyclists to be around.